When choosing an air filter for your vehicle, a very common question is whether a dry media filter (paper filter) or an oiled filter is the best choice. There has been much debate to this subject to determine which filter actually performs better, considering things such as filtration, airflow, longevity and overall performance. The debate has been fought from both sides and there is a lot confusion surrounding this subject but the filter of choice for the performance industry is the oiled filter.

One of the most common myths surrounding oiled filters is that they will cause problems with your MAF sensor. Oiled filters do not cause MAF sensor problems. Oiled filter owners that excessively oil their filters cause MAF sensor problems. This is no different than if you fill your vehicles engine with too much oil, causing damage to it. As long as the directions are adhered to when using your cleaning kit supplied by the manufacturer, you should have no problems. If you do end up with oil on your MAF it is an easy fix. Simply swing by your local parts store and pick up a can of MAF cleaner.

The 3 main requirements that were important to us are the same characteristics that are important to all consumers when choosing an air filter; those 3 items are filtration, air flow and longevity.

Filtration and Airflow:

In order for a dry media, paper air filter to filter dirt effectively, the filter and its fibers must be thick and densely compressed in order for them to filtrate up to industry standards. That being said, this denser and thicker media becomes more restrictive, not allowing air to flow as fast and efficiently as it could. Due to this restrictive media, over time, a dry media paper filter will build up with more and more dust and dirt particles. Once debris has built up to a certain point, the pressure inside the filter will drop while the air pressure outside the filter will remain the same. If the buildup gets too bad, and the difference in pressure becomes too great, it can result in a dry media paper filter to cave in or collapse on itself. In addition, an excessively high difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the filter, brought on by an overly clogged filter media, can literally pull dirt particles through the paper medium. This causes the air flow and filtration to decrease as the filter becomes more and more clogged.

In comparison, oiled filters include multiple layers of oiled cotton or gauze fabric which captures dirt and debris more effectively. The debris entering the filter will actually stick to the oiled fibers of the filter, and actually become part of the filtering media. This process, sometimes referred to as depth loading by some filter manufacturers, allows the filter to retain more dirt per square inch than a paper filter. On many oiled filters, the cotton or gauze fabric is then meshed between pleated aluminum screens. Pleating the layers of filter media increases the surface area which allows the filter to be in use longer, and capture more debris than a standard non oiled and/or non-pleated filter media.
As dust particles enter the filter they are stopped by the interwoven layers and are then captured in place through the oil. Dirt and debris that are retained on the surface of an oiled filter media have little effect on air flow because there are no small holes to clog like there would be on a paper filter media due to the interwoven layers. So when a paper filter starts to clog, an oiled filter media is still filtering debris just as effectively as when you purchased it, as well as retaining a higher level of airflow. This is due largely to the oiled filter media as well as the method that is used to hold the layers together.

When tested, oiled filter media will have less restricted flow when compared to a dry media paper filter on a flow bench test. Although an oiled filter media may have between 4 and 8 layers of filtration, it still flows faster and less restricted than a paper filter that is densely bound together. So while filtration is increased, the flow is also increased because of the manner in which the filter layers are constructed.

Longevity:

Another great reason to choose an oiled filter over a dry paper filter is for the longevity and cost savings it will provide you. On average, a paper filter should be replaced between 4,000 to 5,000 miles or every oil change. Typically the average cost of a paper filter is about $10 to $12. After one year of driving 15,000 miles, at least 3 paper filters are needed, this totals $30 to $35. An oiled filter will generally run from $25 to $50, but will never need to be replaced! Therefore an oiled filter will “pay itself off” so to speak in 1-2 years. As long as you plan on driving for more than another 2 years, your costs saving over the life of the vehicle will greatly add up, especially if you are paying for the labor to replace the filter at your dealer or local auto shop. Considering the fact that you may only need to “recharge” your oiled filter a few times during the course of its service life, and that It will never need to be replaced, it makes vehicle maintenance simpler and more affordable.

That could be the best article i have ever read here , You explained everything , except 1 , On a limited budget , Is it ok to buy a used CAI for about half the price of a new one? Or buy a new one from you? Thanks for all your informative posts , i been on this site for about a year now and really appericate your insight

That could be the best article i have ever read here , You explained everything , except 1 , On a limited budget , Is it ok to buy a used CAI for about half the price of a new one? Or buy a new one from you? Thanks for all your informative posts , i been on this site for about a year now and really appericate your insight

Glad to hear that. What is right for you just depends on your situation. Shoot me a PM or give us a call and we can talk about it.

Installed a CAI system I purchased from APEX (CAI, Strong MAF sensor, APEX Air Scoop, and a washer bottle relocate kit). I drive a 2013 2SS Automatic. All I can say is WOW! I knew it would look great (and it does). What I did not expect were the subtle but very noticeable performance changes. The engine really "growls" when you get your foot in to the pedal. Not over the top. Just a very impressive sound from the engine. Acceleration seems more powerful, as if the engine can finally "breathe!" Shut down now include a "whosh" as air escapes the airbox.

Installed a CAI system I purchased from APEX (CAI, Strong MAF sensor, APEX Air Scoop, and a washer bottle relocate kit). I drive a 2013 2SS Automatic. All I can say is WOW! I knew it would look great (and it does). What I did not expect were the subtle but very noticeable performance changes. The engine really "growls" when you get your foot in to the pedal. Not over the top. Just a very impressive sound from the engine. Acceleration seems more powerful, as if the engine can finally "breathe!" Shut down now include a "whosh" as air escapes the airbox.

I'm very happy with the mod.

Marcus

Thank you for your order and the post! I love hearing from our customers after they install their new parts.

Installed a CAI system I purchased from APEX (CAI, Strong MAF sensor, APEX Air Scoop, and a washer bottle relocate kit). I drive a 2013 2SS Automatic. All I can say is WOW! I knew it would look great (and it does). What I did not expect were the subtle but very noticeable performance changes. The engine really "growls" when you get your foot in to the pedal. Not over the top. Just a very impressive sound from the engine. Acceleration seems more powerful, as if the engine can finally "breathe!" Shut down now include a "whosh" as air escapes the airbox.

I'm very happy with the mod.

Marcus

Thanks for choosing Cold Air Inductions Inc.! We really appreciate your business and support and are glad to hear how happy you are about the product!